This invention relates to an improved method of scale inhibition, such as barium scale inhibition, which can be useful in connection with oil recovery and water treatment applications. The method broadly comprises the addition of a threshold amount of a selected amino acid alkyl phosphonic acid scale inhibitor. The scale inhibitor, for use in the inventive method, can be selected from α-amino acid alkyl phosphonic acids and from amino acid species having a C2-C20 hydrocarbon group connecting the carboxyl and amine moieties. Excluded are specific α-amino acid alkyl phosphonic acids, namely those which are substituted by: selected electron rich moieties containing, at least, one lone pair of electrons; aromatics wherein at least one of the carbon atoms has been substituted by a heteroatom; and compounds wherein the α-carbon atom is substituted by narrowly defined electron withdrawing moieties.
The domain of effectively controlling the formation of inorganic deposits, in particular inhibiting the formation of undesirable levels of the like deposits, including frequently calcium carbonate and barium sulphate, in water is well known and has been around for a long time. As one can consequently expect, the relevant art is fairly crowded.
WO 01/49756 discloses scale inhibitors comprising a hydro soluble copolymer consisting of major amounts of styrene sulfonic acid and vinyl sulfonic acid and, optionally, minor levels of non-ionizable monomers. These inhibitor combinations can be used in a squeeze treatment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,496 describes compositions and methods for inhibiting oil field scale formation, particularly in high brine environments. Aminomethylene phosphonates containing 2 or more amine moieties, wherein substantially all of the available N—H functions have been phosphonated, are suitable for use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,375 pertains to methylene phosphonates of amino-terminated oxyalkylates, having at least two amino groups, and the use thereof as scale inhibitors in marine oil recovery activities as well as their use for chelation in biological systems. As an example, the phosphonates can effectively sequester iron ions within the context of secondary oil recovery by means of water floods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,539 describes method and composition technology useful for controlling and reducing the occurrence of scale in subterranean formations. The inhibitor compositions comprise an amino phosphonic acid and a copolymer of an alkenyl sulfonic acid compound and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer. The phosphonic acid can be represented by bishexamethylene triamine pentamethylene phosphonic acid. GB 2 306 465 pertains to a method of scale inhibition for use in oil field operations where water can contain high concentrations of alkaline earth metal salts such as barium salts. Preferred scale inhibitors can be represented by hydroxyl alkylated phosphonomethyl amines.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,401 discloses biodegradable corrosion inhibitors and anti-scalants for use in oil field fluid systems and other industrial water applications. The corrosion inhibitors/anti-scalants are represented by modified poly(aspartic acid) polymers and modified aspartic acid units. The modified aspartic acid can be substituted by selected side chains such as methyl phosphonic acids/salts.
EP 0 408 297 describes scale inhibitors suitable for inhibiting calcium and barium scale formation in aquatic systems in which iron can be present. The inhibitor is represented by a methylene phosphonate, preferably carboxybisnitrilo tetra(methylene phosphonic acid), also known as urea(tetramethylene phosphonic acid). WO 01/85616 divulges a scale- and corrosion-inhibitor for application, inter alia, in water used in oilfield activities, containing, at least, one oxyalkylene unit and one phosphonate unit. The oxyalkylene can be represented by triethylene glycol or tetraethylene glycol. The phosphonate can be represented by vinyl phosphonic acid or vinylidene diphosphonic acid. In a preferred approach, the phosphonate and the oxyalkylene constituents can be reacted to thus yield a single compound for use.
Kulin Huang et al., Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2004, 2956-2960, describe the synthesis of functionalized γ-zirconium phosphate-phosphonates based on N-phosphonomethyl-L-proline from proline and N-phosphonomethyl-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid from cysteine. A method for producing N-phosphonomethylglycine by reaction of hexahydrotriazine with triacyl phosphate is described in WO 2003 000704. Along the same lines, DDR patent 141 930 describes the manufacture of monophosphonated amino acids or the esters thereof. The amino acid moiety can, in the final product, be represented by α-alanine, β-alanine, phenylalanine and asparagine. The purpose of the study was the preparation of monophosphonates having one residual N—H function.
DE 41 31 912 discloses mixtures of carboxyalkane aminomethane phosphonic acids prepared by reacting natural proteins, in particular from waste such as e.g. leather, corn and soya, egg white, skimmed and sugar-free milk powder, wool and silk waste, animal hair and other protein wastes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,376 discloses a method of inhibiting the formation of scale-forming salts by means of a low level of diphosphonomethyl derivatives of taurine or cysteic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,112 discloses N-bis(phosphonomethyl) amino acids and their use to control calcium carbonate scale in contact with industrial process waters. Specific compounds described are N,N-bis(phosphonomethyl)-L-glutamic acid, N,N-bis(phosphonomethyl)-L-serine and N,N,N′,N′-bis(phosphonomethyl)-L-lysine. The L-lysine compound is represented by species carrying one phosphonomethyl moiety attached to one amino radical.
The art, in essence, aims at adding cumulative functionalities to thus secure additive results without providing remedy to known performance deficiencies, particularly within the context of marine oil recovery activities and/or water treatment applications, and/or avoiding multi component systems which are known to exhibit material deficiencies which are inherently attached to such known active combinations.